8 Plants For Late Summer Interest

Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ and Miscanthus sinensis

We all want to stretch out the summer as long as we can, many of us trying to keep hold of those long evenings as the daylight gradually slips away. Gardens and plants can so often contribute to this feeling of packing the summer away for the year after only a matter of weeks. Short lived blooms from some plant species can contribute to the feeling of a fleeting summer, however there are plenty of plants you can use in your garden to extend the summer and keep some colour and floral textures in your garden through to the end of Autumn.

1.       Rudbeckia fulgida – This American daisy, firstly, is already a late flowerer; the first blooms open towards the end of July, providing your garden space with a dash of bright yellow complemented with the dark eyes of the central inflorescence. This display can continue unabashed until the first of the frosts, from which the plant develops into understated seed heads which stay upright until early spring the next year. As British winters become later each year, you may be able to extend the summer colour through to late November or early December. When planted in combination with their prairie counterparts, including Stipa tenuissima, Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ et al, your garden will maintain some colour and structure into the bleaker months of the year.

2.       X Digiplexis hybrida – A bigeneric hybrid of the UK native Digitalis purpurea and the Canary Island Isoplexis canariensis, the species is a sterile, half-hardy perennial with warm colours on fascinatingly structured flowers. The plant is shorter than the native foxglove and takes more of a resemblance to its Iberian parent, the species provides that exotic feel and novelty for your garden. It is a relatively new hybrid, first being brought to market in 2012, this plant really brings that wow factor, with peachy to terracotta tones. It has a long flowering period, from mid-summer through to late October, meaning that summer holiday feel will continue into the warm, mournful glow of the UK’s autumn sunlight.

3.       Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’ – This variety of Achillea brings a slice of Mediterranean warms to your border with some beautiful orange tones. The plant is a sturdy variation, with the blooms lasting longer than a normal Achillea, providing your garden with that umbel flower texture for a much longer period. This plant works especially well towards the front of a border amongst Echinacea and grasses such as Stipa.

4.       Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ – Another daisy, this time with more in common with our own UK natives, this plant is an absolute champion of August and September! It is relatively low growing but will be covered in elegant purple flowers at the end of summer; the flower constitutes a small yellow eye surrounded by a multitude of slender, lavender petals. The flowers last through Autumn, extending the season of colour right into the colder months.

5.       Hylotelephium ‘Matrona’ [Sedum] – The plant formerly known as Sedum is a fantastic option if you are looking for some interesting textures for a late summer border; the fleshy leaves tinged with purple create an interest point prior to the appearance of the flowers. The flowers eventually cover the plant with a light pink top, the umbels featuring many small florets, which last from early summer right the way into winter. Sedums are a highly versatile plant from a design perspective, which many applications including a prairie type scheme, rock gardens and dry gardens.

6.       Echinacea purpurea – A staple of the prairie style planting scheme, Echinacea – often ‘Magnus’ or ‘White Swan’, although a broad range of colours and details are available – the coneflowers provide dazzling details to a late summer border. Echinacea purpurea feature simple daisy petals surrounding the cone of spiny structures, an inflorescence which is usually accompanied by many pollinators. These cones are streaked with orange hues, providing one of the key details of Echinaceas that make them so hard to beat: the colours, detail, and structure. Although not as long lasting as their Rudbeckia cousins, Coneflowers are often the late summer headliners that give this style of planting its desirable quality.

7.       Eutrochium maculatum [Eupatorium] – Another plant that constantly goes through name changes is Eutrochium maculatum atropurpureum, formally known and still sold as Eupatorium maculatum, however it is a fantastic addition to the back of your borders regardless of which name it goes by. This North American perennial requires moist soils and full sun to part shade, so it is the plant to go for if you struggle with clay soil in your garden! The plants in this species and group gfrow between 1.2m – 2m, with lustrous purple stems and light, gentle pink flowers on a mop top. The foliage of the plant does not sing quite as loud as the stems and flowers, but they act as the perfect deep-green foil to bring out the best in the other structures, likewise doing the same thing for its neighbours. The flowers open in late July and maintain some colour until September.

8.       Miscanthus sinensis – This ornamental grass species may seem like an odd addition when discussing adding interest as grasses are so often used as the green mass for flowering species to jump out from, however Miscanthus offers so much more than dutiful function. The tassel-like flower structures appear in early autumn, gently swaying in the breeze and capturing the yearnful September sunlight, plus there are many varieties that carry some of the burden of colour themselves. Miscanthus ‘Zebrinius’ not only have curiously striped variegated leaves, but the flower heads are tinged with a beautiful light purple. The flowers are a fantastic feature in winter perennial gardens, once the plant has died back, the silver-coloured flowers remain to be toyed with light frosts. Any florists will also know of the winter flowerheads value in arrangements!